Mobile teeth

[Judythecat]

Looking for some advice/reassurance, please, if anyone can help?

Last year I developed very slight mobility in my front upper teeth. The mobility was “close to grade one” but not quite at the level of being “classified”. I have no gum disease, never have had, it was due to bruxism - ironically I was clenching my front teeth into my (upper) night guard and rocking them in their sockets.

I got a new rigid night guard fitted for my lower teeth to replace the upper one, the mobility improved, and at my last checkup a few weeks ago the teeth were deemed “normal”. So, yay. However since the initial diagnosis, I have avoided biting with my front teeth, despite my dentist saying it was absolutely fine to do, even at the most mobile phase. It’s almost like a phobia now. If I start trying to bite, gradually, is it likely to re-trigger the mobility now the bruxism issue has been resolved?

Side note - I have a diagnosis of atypical facial pain, which completely clouds my thinking. Pain tends to hang around about those teeth, so I am super aware of them. When it’s bad, it feels like the teeth are swinging about in my mouth. I KNOW logically it is the neuralgia. If they moved like I feel they do, I would definitely see them flap around when I brush my teeth or even touch them with my tongue. I have never seen them move, and my dentist said at its very worst, they were moving “a hair’s breadth above normal”. It is not easy to be logical though!

Thank you for reading if you did. I have posted about this before, and it is probably very boring. I am also conscious I sound a bit nuts. Sorry.

 

[Gordon]

You're not nuts, you're living with a fairly complex and almost untreatable, painful, chronic condition, takes a bit of moral fortitude to cope with that alone...
Anyway, back to your question, it won't do any harm to start biting with your front teeth again, even patients with pretty gross mobility due to periodontal disease can chew without making it worse.

 

[MountainMama]

Don't worry about sounding nuts. I think most of us here can sympathize. I haven't bitten with my front teeth in almost a year. Even after I get my tooth extracted and an implant in, I imagine it will be quite difficult to take that first bite. There is always the fear of something going wrong.
Gordon says it is okay, so maybe try soft things first, and gradually progress to harder things as your confidence increases.

 

[Enarete]

No advice, but sending you hugs. The atypical facial pain sounds nightmarish.

 

[Judythecat]

You're not nuts, you're living with a fairly complex and almost untreatable, painful, chronic condition, takes a bit of moral fortitude to cope with that alone...
Anyway, back to your question, it won't do any harm to start biting with your front teeth again, even patients with pretty gross mobility due to periodontal disease can chew without making it worse.

Thank you for being so kind. It is really so hard for people to “get” what it’s like in terms of both the physical pain/weird sensations and the mental side of it. My dentist is fantastic, and has been so patient and supportive, but I think she was a bit surprised the other week when I described how the teeth felt to me (waving about freely in my mouth) in comparison with how they feel to her (now not moving beyond normal, previously moving a tiny fracture of a millimetre). Previously she has always been insistent I need to just eat and get over the biting hurdle, now I think she understands more why I am reluctant!

Don't worry about sounding nuts. I think most of us here can sympathize. I haven't bitten with my front teeth in almost a year. Even after I get my tooth extracted and an implant in, I imagine it will be quite difficult to take that first bite. There is always the fear of something going wrong.
Gordon says it is okay, so maybe try soft things first, and gradually progress to harder things as your confidence increases.

Thank you - I ate some Victoria sponge cake earlier! It is just really hard to reconcile the idea of cutting food with my teeth when they feel like they are wobbling about, even though I have been told categorically by a professional that they are not. My partner gets really frustrated with me when he sees me cut up things like burgers.

 

[Mugz]

Thank you for being so kind. It is really so hard for people to “get” what it’s like in terms of both the physical pain/weird sensations and the mental side of it. My dentist is fantastic, and has been so patient and supportive, but I think she was a bit surprised the other week when I described how the teeth felt to me (waving about freely in my mouth) in comparison with how they feel to her (now not moving beyond normal, previously moving a tiny fracture of a millimetre). Previously she has always been insistent I need to just eat and get over the biting hurdle, now I think she understands more why I am reluctant!




Thank you - I ate some Victoria sponge cake earlier! It is just really hard to reconcile the idea of cutting food with my teeth when they feel like they are wobbling about, even though I have been told categorically by a professional that they are not. My partner gets really frustrated with me when he sees me cut up things like burgers.

I broke my front tooth in half when I was 9 from a fall and when it was repaired the dentist warned me about biting into things. Fearing a return visit, I haven't bitten into anything..apples, pizza, burgers, cupcakes ice, nuts...the list goes on and on in over 40 years. You do what you need to do to feel comfortable - it beats a trip to the dentist any day!!!

 

[Judythecat]

I broke my front tooth in half when I was 9 from a fall and when it was repaired the dentist warned me about biting into things. Fearing a return visit, I haven't bitten into anything..apples, pizza, burgers, cupcakes ice, nuts...the list goes on and on in over 40 years. You do what you need to do to feel comfortable - it beats a trip to the dentist any day!!!

Thank you! I ate a grilled cheese sandwich earlier, and managed half with biting with my front teeth before I freaked out and gave up. Baby steps...!

 

[MountainMama]

Thank you! I ate a grilled cheese sandwich earlier, and managed half with biting with my front teeth before I freaked out and gave up. Baby steps...!

Progress! Be proud of yourself for that step.

 

[Judythecat]

Progress! Be proud of yourself for that step.

I feel like a five year old, but honestly, SO proud of myself!

 

[Enarete]

Stretching yourself and conquering what you are afraid of is always a reason to be proud of yourself

 

[Judythecat]

Stretching yourself and conquering what you are afraid of is always a reason to be proud of yourself

Thank you! I am proud to report I ate a sausage sandwich this morning. I ate every single bite with my front teeth, although at one point I had a slight panic and had to force myself on.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

This is huge.. ahhh. eating more and better after dental is such a relief!! Happy for you!!

 

[MountainMama]

Thank you! I am proud to report I ate a sausage sandwich this morning. I ate every single bite with my front teeth, although at one point I had a slight panic and had to force myself on.

Yay! More progress!